Various portable plating systems exist that are basically a hand case similar to an attach case or tool case. The case has several compartments into which various attachments and tools are stored that are used in a plating process, such% as brushes, interconnection wires, power source and chemicals. Such an apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. 3,752,752.
Electroplating with such devices is used to plate small articles to provide a decorative and/or corrosion resistant coating. A D.C. power source is used with one another of the power supply connected to the article to be plated. A plating liquid containing a compound of the metal to be plated is placed on the article and brushed with another anode to transfer the plating metal from the plating liquid to the article to be plated. The plating power unit is connected to an A.C. electrical outlet.
The plating solutions contain acids and other chemicals that need to be disposed properly to protect the environment. Prior art plating systems, for the most part, do not have arrangements or protective apparatus to properly contain and collect the plating chemicals.
Other prior art systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,046,440 and 4,668,3674. These systems are portable only in the sense that The equipment may be carried, but are not self contained with respect to a power source since each has to be connected to an A.C. electrical outlet.